What Free Cities Foundation does

The Free Cities Foundation is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2017 and headquartered in Sheridan, Wyoming, whose stated mission is to support innovation in governance that leads to greater human freedom and prosperity. The Foundation serves liberty-minded individuals interested in alternative governance models, prospective Free City residents and investors, and forward-thinking governments exploring the establishment of Free Cities within their territories. It operates a portfolio of content, community, and event products rather than a unified software platform: the Free Cities Podcast hosted by Creative Director Timothy Allen, the searchable Free Communities Directory listing global free city projects, an annual flagship Free Cities Conference held in Prague, regular local meetups in Dubai, Berlin, London, Buenos Aires, and Zürich, a multilingual newsletter, and a Telegram community group. The Foundation also publishes original research including authored books (Free Private Cities by Titus Gebel, Strategies for Liberty by Alex Voss, A Country That Builds, Entrepreneurial Communities, The Proprietary State, and Road to Liberty) and a comprehensive Free Private Cities Whitepaper, with content distributed in 8 languages through podcasts, YouTube, blog, and social channels (Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Gettr). Its business model is donation-driven: the Foundation accepts tax-deductible contributions via Bitcoin, PayPal (one-time or recurring), or credit card, supplemented by a branded merchandise e-commerce store (t-shirts, mugs, polo shirts priced $14.99-$24.99) and ticketing for the annual conference. Leadership comprises Managing Director Peter Young, a 7-person core team covering operations, research, economics, creative, partnerships, and writing, a board chaired by founder Titus Gebel with Marc-Felix Otto and Alex Voss, and advisors including Chief Economist Rahim Taghizadegan and Senior Advisor Olivier Kessler. The Foundation maintains a global ambassador network and strategic ties to active projects including Próspera (Honduras) and Ciudad Morazán, with content partnerships through outlets such as Mises Institute and Bitcoin Magazine.

Name

Free Cities Foundation

Legal name

Free Cities Foundation

Website

https://free-cities.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Free Cities Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank that promotes governance innovation through podcasts, books, a global ambassador network, an annual Prague conference, and a worldwide directory of Free City projects, serving liberty-minded individuals, prospective residents and investors, and forward-thinking governments.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Governance Advocacy Think Tank

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Smart Cities & Urban Innovation Programs (Digital Planning, Civic Tech for Cities) (BPAIANAJ)

Keywords

• Governance innovation advocacy
• Free cities research
• Policy think tank
• Liberty movement education
• Community organizing

Headquarters

HQ city

Sheridan

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: As a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Wyoming, the Foundation accepts tax-deductible donations. Donations can be made via Bitcoin, PayPal (one-time or recurring), or credit card.
2. Merchandise Sales: Branded merchandise including t-shirts, mugs, and polo shirts sold through the organization's e-commerce shop. Products priced from $14.99 to $24.99.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Free Cities Foundation is a US-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit think tank and advocacy organization that supports innovation in governance aimed at greater human freedom and prosperity. It produces and distributes thought leadership content (a podcast, blog, articles in multiple languages, books, and a comprehensive whitepaper), operates a Free Communities Directory of Free City projects worldwide, organizes an annual Free Cities Conference and local ambassador meetups, engages forward-thinking governments on policy, and funds operations through tax-deductible donations and merchandise sales.

Product overview

The Free Cities Foundation operates as a nonprofit organization focused on supporting innovation in governance that leads to greater human freedom and prosperity. Rather than offering a unified software product, the Foundation provides a portfolio of content, community, and educational offerings centered on the Free Cities concept. This includes the Free Cities Podcast featuring interviews with movement participants, the Free Communities Directory listing free city projects worldwide, the annual Free Cities Conference, and a regular newsletter. The Foundation also publishes educational materials including books (Free Private Cities, A Country That Builds, Strategies for Liberty, Entrepreneurial Communities, The Proprietary State, and Road to Liberty) and a comprehensive whitepaper on Free Private Cities. Additionally, the Foundation sells branded merchandise and publishes annual reports documenting its activities and financials as a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Free Cities Podcast An ongoing podcast series exploring the stories of people who build, live in, and advocate for Free Cities, featuring interviews with movement participants and available free to global listeners.
• Free Communities Directory A searchable directory providing up-to-date information about Free City projects worldwide that strive to provide greater individual freedom through innovative governance models, for prospective residents, investors, and researchers.
• Free Cities Conference An annual flagship event that builds community, awareness, and momentum for the Free Cities movement, held in Prague with ticketed attendance for supporters, advocates, builders, and government stakeholders.
• Free Private Cities (Book) A book by Titus Gebel presenting the theoretical framework for creating Free Cities, drawing lessons from autonomous cities and outlining a model for building a Free City; sold via Amazon and direct download.
• A Country That Builds (Book) A book by Alexander D. Voss arguing for transforming Guantánamo Bay into a Free City with low taxes and light regulation, sold through standard book channels.
• Strategies for Liberty (Book) A book by Alexander D. Voss making the case that Free Cities and Bitcoin are among the most powerful tools for enhancing liberty, distributed via Amazon and direct download.
• Entrepreneurial Communities (Book) A book by Calvin Duke introducing entrepreneurial community governance concepts, the model chosen for Ciudad Morazán, sold through standard book channels.
• The Proprietary State (Book) A book by Andries Kerpestein exploring a system where governments have shareholders instead of voters, sold through standard book channels.
• Road to Liberty (Book) A collection of short stories from a writing competition imagining life in a Free Private City, distributed via Amazon and direct download.
• Free Private Cities Whitepaper A comprehensive whitepaper by Titus Gebel proposing Free Private Cities as a peaceful and voluntary alternative to traditional political systems, available as a downloadable resource for policymakers, researchers, and supporters.
• Free Cities Merchandise Branded merchandise including t-shirts, mugs, and polo shirts priced from $14.99 to $24.99 and sold through freecitiesshop.org, with proceeds supporting the operational budget of the Foundation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Articles published in 8 languages
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Staatenlos.chminorOthersPartner organization visible in the Partners section of the Free Cities Foundation website; nature of partnership not explicitly detailed in available content.
• Autris GroupminorOthersPartner organization listed in the Partners section; Autris Group (OTC: AUTR) is mentioned as the employer of Alex Voss (Head of Bitcoin Strategy & Board Director).
• Expat MoneyminorOthersPartner organization visible in the Partners section of the Free Cities Foundation website.
• CryptoCityminorOthersPartner organization visible in the Partners section of the Free Cities Foundation website.
• PrósperacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPróspera is a key Free City project in Honduras (ZEDE - Zone for Employment and Economic Development) that the Foundation actively covers, advocates for, and features prominently in its content. The Foundation maintains close ties with this flagship project.
• Seasteading InstituteminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization visible in the Partners section; the Seasteading Institute focuses on floating communities outside existing government jurisdictions, aligning with Free Cities Foundation's mission.
• Atlas NetworkminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization listed in the Partners section; Atlas Network is a global network of free-market think tanks, which aligns with the Foundation's mission.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Human Rights Foundation: International nonprofit promoting individual liberty and human rights, with global conferences (e.g., the Oslo Freedom Forum), ambassador-style networks, and donor-funded operations. Comparable in advocating for freedom across borders and convening an international network of dissidents and advocates.
• Cato Institute: Large, established libertarian public policy research foundation producing books, policy papers, and events. Comparable as a donor-funded think tank advancing libertarian governance ideas, but operates at significantly greater scale and broader scope than the Free Cities Foundation.
• Reason Foundation: Libertarian think tank publishing books, research, and a magazine on free-market policy. Similar in producing long-form content, operating as a 501(c)(3), and advocating for individual liberty and limited government — though at much larger scale and with broader issue coverage.
• Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE): Nonprofit defending individual rights on campuses and in society, with donor-funded operations, research output, and an active media presence. Comparable as a 501(c)(3) advocacy organization that publishes research, runs campaigns, and educates the public on individual liberty.

Direct peers

• Independent Institute: Libertarian public policy research organization publishing books and studies, hosting conferences, and operating on donations. Closely mirrors the Free Cities Foundation's mix of long-form publishing, events, and advocacy grounded in free-market principles.
• Seasteading Institute: Nonprofit research organization exploring alternative governance models through floating communities outside existing jurisdictions. The most direct peer in terms of mission and concept — both organizations advocate for experimental, opt-in governance outside traditional nation-state structures, and Seasteading is already listed as a partner of the Foundation.
• Atlas Network: Global network of free-market think tanks already listed as a strategic partner. Directly comparable as a hub organization that connects, funds, and amplifies affiliated liberty-oriented nonprofits across multiple countries — a model the Foundation is replicating in the Free Cities niche.
• Students For Liberty: Global libertarian student movement with local chapters, conferences, and ambassador-style networks. Highly comparable in its decentralized global community-building model (local chapters, regional events, content production) and donor-funded nonprofit structure.
• Mises Institute: Libertarian educational organization focused on Austrian economics, publishing books, hosting conferences, and producing multimedia content. Highly comparable in terms of content-led model (books, whitepapers, events), libertarian ideological alignment, and donor-funded 501(c)(3) structure.

Emerging players

• Bitcoin Policy Institute: Think tank focused on Bitcoin policy and its intersection with individual liberty. Comparable as a small, donor-funded research and advocacy organization in the Bitcoin-liberty nexus — the Free Cities Foundation itself frames Bitcoin as a key enabler of Free Cities and frequently cross-references both.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/freecitiesfound
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/FreeCitiesFoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreeCitiesFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/freecitiesfoundation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles12 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Free Cities Foundation